


Persona - The Path Forward

by SkyfireDragoon



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Action/Adventure, Cameos, Mystery, OC centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:13:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23776666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyfireDragoon/pseuds/SkyfireDragoon
Summary: An all new story set within the Persona Universe.Raymond spent his childhood travelling. Every year saw him at a new school. When his uncle suddenly offered to take him in Raymond jumped at the chance. Perhaps this time he would find some semblance of stability. In his new home however, tensions have been high. A string of assaults with seemingly no motivation have been rocking the city.  Raymond felt swept up in a whirlwind of events beyond his control. Strange dreams haunted him in the night. The looming threat of yet another new school was daunting. Soon he finds himself thrust into a world far from anything he's ever seen before.





	Persona - The Path Forward

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey all, so this is a primarily OC fic using the themes, tones, and magic system of the Persona universe. This is the first chapter, so I'm just kind of putting feelers out there to see if there's any interest in this style of fic.

His face deformed by the window he had been resting against, Raymond snapped awake. The sudden shrill chime of the ‘Fasten Safety Belt’ sign had caught him off guard. An announcement followed. A droning voice rattling off the name of the airport and the city. The time and weather of their destination as they approached final descent. Information that Raymond already had. Raymond pulled his phone out of his pocket, turning the screen on for a brief moment to check the time. He stared at the black screen, the gears in his head turning slowly. He… hadn’t actually looked at the time. He turned the screen on, attempting to focus on the little screen.  _ We’re on time.  _ It was surprising, given how late the layover was in getting off the ground in the first place.

No matter how many times it needed to happen, it never got easier. Raymond was convinced that trying to sleep on a plane was one of the most difficult tasks mankind had developed for themselves. He pressed his palms into his eyes. The last remnants of sleep disappeared from their corners. Muscles that had forgotten their jobs protested the sudden call to arms. He stretched. A yawn tore its way out of his body as everything began coming back online. He rested his chin on his fist and stared out the window, seeing his own reflection before the sea of clouds beyond.  _ Have those circles always been that dark?  _ He brought one finger up and rubbed at the area just beneath his eyes. He shook his head and returned his attention to the billowing mass below.

He watched the mounds of white grow and shrink as the plane soared above them something caught his eye. Just a glimmer of sapphire amongst a forest of white. He turned to focus on it. The speck grew as he watched it, moving erratically across his vision.  _ A… Butterfly?  _ Impossible. He slapped his cheek a little bit. It must still be just a dream. Even so, the butterfly flitted across his vision and then vanished. As if on command the plane jumped as they began their descent. Raymond heard a sudden gasp from somewhere further back in the cabin.  _ Must be someone’s first time.  _ He hefted his backpack up from the ground for a moment, pulling out a stick of gum and putting it in his mouth. He balled up the foil and held it tightly in one hand. Back on the ground his backpack went. The entire plane seemed to rattle as the bed of clouds enveloped them.

\---

They touched down without incident. The stewardesses came by collecting any remaining trash. Raymond dutifully threw away the gum wrapper. He thanked the woman for taking it before he began to gather his belongings. He slung his backpack over one shoulder and brought his rolling luggage down from overhead. Maybe this time would be the last. He took one last fleeting glance out at the tarmac. People bustled about, driving luggage trains and waving orange cones without a care in the world. The churning mass of people behind him pushed him up and out of the plane. He was able to step to the side and allow those willing to pass him as he slowed his own pace. He walked staring at his feet. Many might have thought it difficult. However with enough practice you learn to look just far enough ahead that nobody worries.

He made his way down to the luggage carousels. As he checked his boarding pass, a small chime announced the beginning of an announcement. A cheery voice rang through the baggage claim area. “The baggage from flight 2140 from Detroit will be on Belt 3. Once again the baggage from flight 2140 from Detroit will be arriving shortly on belt 3. Thank you for visiting and welcome to Stanley International Airport and Connecticut.”

_ 2140\. That’s me.  _ His eyes fell on the flight number on his boarding pass. 2140 stood bolded in the upper right-hand corner of the slip of paper. He trudged over to belt 3, standing back. The crowd of people from the plane all stood as close as they could to the conveyor without actually standing on it. The belt lurched to life as baggage began appearing from behind the mysterious black curtain. Raymond’s was one of the first ones out, immediately recognizable by its aggressive purple shell. He navigated his way around, sneaking in to grab his bag from the belt, trying his best not to bother anyone else. With hands full and all luggage claimed he made his way for the exit. There was supposed to be someone waiting for him here, but he wouldn’t be surprised if they had forgotten. 

He stood one of his rolling bags up and pulled his phone from his pocket. It took him a moment to notice the little airplane icon at the top of his screen. Right. He pulled down the tray and turned Airplane Mode off. It took a moment, but his phone started going off. Some were notifications from installed apps about deals or updates, but the important ones kept overwriting each other. Texts from ‘Uncle Kevin’. Raymond opened the conversation and read through. They were standard fare. ‘Looks like your flight was delayed after all’, ‘I’m over by the pickup area whenever you’re ready.’ One more came in while his eyes were focused on the phone, ‘I think I see you, look up.’

Raymond did as he was asked, looking up from his phone and all around him. A tall man in a white button-down and khakis was approaching him, waving a hand with a smartphone clutched in it over his head. Raymond lifted his own hand, waving back at who he could only assume was his uncle. The man scratched at the side of his head, salt and pepper hair falling over his fingers as he did. Kevin smiled at his new charge, “Glad you made it Ray. I was worried I had the wrong door for a bit there.”

Raymond shifted the strap on his backpack, pushing it further up onto his shoulder. “Sorry to have worried you, Uncle Kevin”

The older man waved his hand dismissively, “Nah, no worries. C’mon, I’ll grab one of your bags, we can catch up while we drive back home.”

Raymond felt his head reflexively go into a nodding motion. He relinquished control of his bright purple bag and followed his uncle back to an unassuming silver sedan. They took turns hefting the baggage into the trunk. Raymond took his place in the passenger side seat. A loud thunk as Kevin sat into the driver’s seat. The car turned over with ease and they pulled out into traffic. The highway was eerily dead. Raymond looked out at the scenery. The inky black of night battled with the coming dawn. A stark line between the fading stars and the pinks and oranges of the sunrise. He rested his head on his shoulder. The seat belt dug in, probably a little too tight.

“So, how was your flight?” Kevin asked, eyes focused on the road ahead.

Raymond looked over at him, putting his hands on his lap. “It was good. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just like all the rest of them.” he rubbed at his knuckle

“Yeah, I guess when you move around as much as your dad and mom do, I guess you kind of just get used to it huh?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Your stuff arrived the other day. I moved the box to your room, but I’m not really sure how you like to decorate, so it’s just kind of sitting there.

“Okay. Thank you.”

Kevin dared a glance towards the young man before returning his attention to the road. His hands gripped the wheel a little tighter. “So, why’d you say yes, anyway? You probably don’t even remember me. Last time I saw you was just when you were starting to walk around.”

Raymond fidgeted with his hands, pinching his knuckles and pulling at his skin. Why had he agreed to come back here? His stomach felt like it was doing summersaults. An awkward tension filled the air that Kevin attempted to break. “You don’t have to answer. Just thought I’d ask.”

“No, no it’s fine. I’m just… not sure how to say it.” A heavy sigh escaped Raymond’s lips, “I thought I had given up a long time ago. Then my dad told me you offered to take me in… I guess… I don’t know… I just wanted something  _ normal…  _ Even though I suppose I put myself into the same position I was trying to get away from.”

Kevin looked over at him from the corner of his eyes, the corners of his lips turning down into a frown. “Yeah, it must have been hard, never being able to put down some real roots.”

“It got easier.”

Raymond had spent what he knew of his life traveling. Every year a different home, a different city, a different school. Saying goodbye to what few friends he managed to make, coming into a new school as a complete outsider grew harder and harder on his heart until he just… stopped. He stopped trying to make friends. Stopped trying to grow close to people. All to avoid the pain that came with separation. He would just stoically follow behind his parents and just do everything he could to keep himself distant from his classmates. Raymond found himself digging non-existent dirt out from under his fingernails while he thought about it. Would this really be any different? He was yet again coming into a new school. He would yet again go in knowing not a single soul. Only now he was a burden on Uncle Kevin instead of his parents. A sign ahead was emblazoned with the name of the city where Raymond would be spending the next year or more. He chewed on his lip.

_ Maybe this time would be the last  _ If he just kept thinking it, perhaps it would become a reality.

\---

The home stood intimidating in the morning light. Light gray vinyl siding, white blinds and shutters. A few personal nicknacks strewn about the front garden. A small flag hung from the front porch with Kevin’s last name printed on it under an idyllic beach scene. Nothing immediately struck him as scary, but the home was intimidating all the same. It was hard to remember sometimes, but Kevin wasn’t actually his Uncle. He had been best friends with Raymond’s father throughout their entire childhood, and were even closer than some actual brothers. Raymond and Kevin split the luggage from the trunk. Kevin led the way up the front steps and through the front door. Raymond’s feet fell to the ground with the weight of an iron slab. Was that just Raymond being tired?

Raymond looked around. He could spy the kitchen through the living room. A lot of the decorations were fairly conservative. The coloring was mostly neutral, and pictures were few and far between. Kevin looked over his shoulder at Raymond. “So, I thought a kid your age, you probably want a bit of privacy. Right this way.”

He stepped around the stairs and opened a door about halfway between the living room and the kitchen. A set of polished stairs descend a few steps before coming to a landing and taking a sharp turn before continuing further down. Kevin blazed the trail. Loud thuds followed him as neither he nor Raymond felt the need to lift up the luggage to prevent it. Raymond stepped around the base of the stairs. Raymond stopped and stared. It was almost like a complete second home. A couch in front of a TV, A bookcase filled to bursting. The walls were cooler colors, blues and greens. Despite this they were almost bare. The floors were a reddish hardwood, except for one carpeted area where a snooker table sat. Kevin let out a hearty laugh. “Like it? I used to spend a lot of time down here. Almost all of it, matter of fact. Your dad used to like the upstairs better, but this was my pad.”

Even more details popped into his mind. There was a small fridge against the wall, and what had to be a sliding door leading out into the backyard. Raymond shook his head. “Th-this is too much!” 

“Nonsense! Just consider it as my apology to you.”

Raymond tilted his head to the side and furrowed his brows. “A… pology? An Apology for what?”

Kevin waved off the question. “Don’t worry about that for now. Your bedroom is at the end of the hall here. You look like you’re about to fall asleep standing up. Go on, take a nap. I’ll wake you up for lunch.”

Raymond could feel his eyes fighting to close again. Perhaps Kevin was right about that. He trudged down the hall, dragging his luggage behind him. The hallway was almost bare as he walked to a plain door at the end. He peeked into the bathroom and shower as he walked by. Seemingly out of place it had a bit of a nautical theme. Anchors and lifesavers everywhere. Shrugging off the oddity, he moved to the end of the hall. He turned the knob and pushed open the door to his new room. It looked immaculate, with cream-colored walls, and a chocolate-colored carpet. He looked to the side of the door. The light switch clicked under his fingers and he saw even more. A dresser, a pair of nightstands and lamps. There was even a small television sitting on top of the dresser.

Raymond ran a hand through his hair. This was all too much. Why wasn’t he just shoving Ray in one tiny room like he was used to? What did he feel the need to apologize for? His luggage clattered to the floor as both hands ravaged his scalp. He just couldn’t understand. He shook his hand as he noticed a strand of his lavender hair trapped between two of his fingers. It fell to the ground silently as he watched. He sighed, the weight of his exhaustion dragging his shoulders towards the ground. He crawled into the bed, laying on top of the covers. It didn’t take much for his body to get the hint, and he slipped into a deep sleep.

\---

He awoke suddenly. He was in a strange place. He stood. No, he was already standing. When did that happen? His head whipped back and forth. No matter which direction he looked though, all he saw was an endless sea of blue velvet. Where was he? What had happened? A nasally voice from seemingly nowhere pierced the silence. “Well now, isn’t this intriguing?”

Raymond whipped his head around in every direction. “Who said that? Where are you? Where am  _ I _ ?!”

Suddenly in front of Raymond there was a hunchbacked old man with insanely long arms folded in front of him. White hair surrounded a bald spot like a halo. Bloodshot eyes were open wide and piercing straight into Raymond. His hands sat in pure white gloves folded underneath a comically large nose. “My name is Igor, and welcome to the velvet room.”

He gestured with one hand to the expanse of blue all around them. “This place,” he continued, “Exists between mind and matter. Between dream and reality. Only those who are bound by a contract may enter. This room reflects the state of your heart. It appears as if your heart itself is not quite set.”

“My… heart? What does that mean? How am I supposed to ‘Set’ my heart? Like an alarm clock?” 

The mysterious old man shook his head, “That, I’m afraid is a task only you can undertake. I have a feeling in the coming days you will discover your resolve.”

Igor extended his hand out towards Raymond. “Perhaps soon we shall see the true state of your heart. Take this key. It shall act as your anchor. When you are ready you will be able to use this key to return here. Be prepared young man, for I shall be waiting to guide you.”

Raymond extended his own hand, taking the silver key into his hand. He stared at it without seeing it for a long moment. He looked back up to ask something else of Igor. He was gone. Ray was floating along in a never-ending sea of blue. His eyes went wide.  _ Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream.  _ He screamed in his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Raymond drew a breath in sharply as his eyes snapped open to slightly more familiar surroundings. They made a lot more sense anyway. He went to rub his eyes, but in his left hand was a silver key. The cool weight pressed against his skin as he stared at it. That had all just been a dream, right? A mask on the head of the key stared back at him. Half black and half white. A creak of the stairs and he shoved his hand and the key into his pocket. Kevin came around the corner at the end of the hall and looked into his open doorway. “Oh good, you’re up. C’mon. Pizza’s here.”

Raymond stood, feeling the mysterious key shifting in his pocket. This was most definitely what he needed just days before starting school again. To go absolutely bonkers.

\---

They sat on the couch in front of the TV. What else did one do when it came to pizza? Kevin clicked his tongue as he flipped through the channels. The descriptions on the bottom of the screen changed too frequently to gather much beyond the name of the program. He let out a sigh. “That’s always the way it is, huh? So many channels but nothing’s on.” He clicked his tongue and finally let it sit on a local news channel.

Ray was still deep in thought. He stared down at his plate, though his eyes weren’t actually focused on the greasy mass of cheese, meat, and dough in front of him. What had that dream been? It must have been a dream, he woke up from it and everything. Even though it must have been a dream… Where had the key come from? It was too old of a key for anything in this house. Well, maybe? He hadn’t explored the entire house yet. “Not a fan of meat lovers?” A voice shook him from his reverie. Raymond jolted upright, looking all around.

“Whoa.” Kevin said, “didn’t mean to spook you. You were just having an intense staring match with your food. Thought maybe something was wrong.”

Raymond grabbed the plate. He held it beneath the slice as he took a bite. “S-sorry. I just had a weird dream. That’s all.”

Kevin nodded placing his own empty plate on the coffee table, “Not surprised. You were really tired.”

A sudden jingle from the TV before a man in a sharp suit appeared arms folded solemnly in front of him. His voice came out clear.  _ We come to you with some breaking news. A man today has been arrested after reportedly attempting to assault an entire bar full of patrons with a two by four embedded with nails. Prosecutors refused to comment on the current state of interrogation. Prosecutors also refused to comment on the possibility of this being related to the string of similar assaults happening in recent weeks. We’ll have a criminal justice expert on to speak about the topic at 10 o’clock -- _

Kevin turned the entire TV off mid-sentence. Raymond had already heard the man speak. Kevin rubbed at his temples. “I suppose it’s good you heard that. Some crazy stuff has been going down. I want you to be careful out there, okay? It seems to mostly be in the city proper, but…”

Raymond nodded. “I will.” was all he managed to squeak out. His mind suddenly flashed back to the blue room. The mysterious man and his speech. He placed a hand on the key in his pocket. They couldn’t possibly be related, could they?


End file.
